My favorite way to eat strawberries is right out of the field. Just blow the dirt off, hold on to the green cap and take a sweet, juicy bite. … Then drop the cap in the row and move on to the next red jewel!
The secret to great Shoney Pie starts with great ripe strawberries!
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Let the filling cool while your pie crusts bake. (Try not to sample too many fresh berries while you wait!)
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Serve a slice of Shoney Pie with a dollop of whipped topping and a glass of milk.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Give a fun and yummy twist to the traditional gelatin salad.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
My second favorite way to eat strawberries is in a Shoney Pie.
My grandma made two types of strawberry pies. One had more of a custard-type base and turned a dull red color after baking. The other was chilled, not baked, and had a more gelatin base that was a bright, glossy red. She called this one Shoney Pie, and it was a family favorite – perfect for a cool treat on a warm spring day. The recipe makes two pies, but even with that, you’ll be surprised how fast it disappears!
Shoney Pie
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups fresh strawberries
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons white Karo® syrup
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- 1 box strawberry Jell-O®
- 2 pie crusts (may use frozen, prepared crusts)
- Whip topping
Directions
Wash fresh fruit and cut away any bruised or damaged spots. Cap strawberries and slice into halves or quarters (for large berries). Set aside.
Mix sugar, cornstarch, syrup, water and vanilla in a medium saucepan and cook over low-medium heat until thick and clear, stirring often. Stir in strawberry Jell-O powder, then remove from heat to cool.
Bake frozen crusts according to package instructions, then fill the baked crusts with fruit. Pour cooled filling over the fruit. Chill. Serve with whipped topping, and enjoy!
But that’s not the only delicious strawberry-filled treat. As a life-long Lutheran, I’ve heard my share of jokes about Jell-O salads being a favorite potluck dish. Well, as it happened, I was recently introduced (at a church function) to a Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O Salad that proved to be a yummy dessert! (The cream cheese adds consistency and creamy goodness to this strawberry delight.)
Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O Salad
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups strawberries
- 2¼ cup pretzels (lightly crushed)
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¾ cup melted butter or margarine
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 (8 oz.) bowl whipped topping
- 1 (6 oz.) box strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
Directions
Wash fresh fruit and cut away any bruised or damaged spots. Cap strawberries and slice into halves or quarters (for large berries). Set aside.
Combine pretzels, brown sugar and melted butter. Pat into a crust in a 9x13 dish. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Set aside to cool.
Mix cream cheese, sugar and whip topping until creamy. Spread over cooled crust.
Combine strawberry Jell-O, boiling water and strawberries. Let mixture cool to congeal slightly, then pour on top and refrigerate. Cut into squares and serve.
Whether you like your berries fresh from the field or jazzed up as a sweet treat, strawberry season is relatively short, so don’t waste too much time trying to figure out what to do with all of them – just enjoy!
